Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Brown University has rejected a Department of Education proposal offering priority access to federal funds in exchange for agreeing to terms that critics say target left-leaning ideology in higher education.
On Oct. 1, the Trump administration sent nine universities a 10-part "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" that reportedly demands reforms to hiring practices and student grading and a pledge to prohibit transgender women from using women's changing rooms.
It also requires the creation of a "vibrant marketplace of ideas," among other changes, including a tuition freeze for five years.
Brown University President Christina Paxson rejected the offer in a letter addressed to Education Secretary Linda McMahon, writing she was "concerned that the Compact by its nature and by various provisions would restrict academic freedom and undermine the autonomy of Brown's governance, critically compromising our ability to fulfill our mission."
Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has targeted dozens of universities, particularly so-called elite institutions, with executive orders, lawsuits, reallocation of resources and threats over a range of allegations, from anti-Semitism to having diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
